Fertile imagination

'Red Priest' is an evocative name for any music group. Even for those
not aware that it refers originally to Vivaldi and his carroty hair, there
is the vaguely sinister implication of subversive politics at work. Some
may even remember the 'Red Dean' of Canterbury (I forget the colour of his
hair), who caused scandal in Anglican circles by approving most of what was
emanating from Moscow at the time. For good value, the tonsured Vivaldi had
the right to broadcast himself as Don Antonio, with all the dangerous and
flirtatious associations that might imply. Consider, by contrast, Schubert's
nickname of 'Tubby', not much of a selling point for anyone specialising in
his music, and it is clear that 'Red Priest' has all the ingredients for
effective publicity.